Jim Russell
It wouldn’t be a stretch to declare the council’s monthly general membership meetings NEW AND IMPROVED as of July. That’s because, for the first time in many years, the office known as the lecturer has been filled – by Jim Russell. Jim is a long-time parishioner (he and wife Mary began attending Masses at Holy Spirit beginning with the second week of its existence) and joined the order early in 2012. He has been quite active ever since, including assuming a standing role on the degree team, and was invited to become an officer beginning with the 2013-14 fraternal year that began in July. Jim accepted … then looked up the lecturer’s duties. It’s to “provide both educational and entertaining programs” for the council. He prepared his debut speech then shelved it when he realized our July meeting would coincide with the 150th anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg, which led to his talk about patriotism as one of the four KC core principles. (Think he’s bringing back his original July material in August.) Jim is from New York State, served four years in the Army, graduated from Oklahoma State with a marketing degree and has been retired for about two years. Mary is a part-time music teacher at St. Joseph Catholic School in Waxahachie. They’re both long-time parish choir members. They live in Cedar Hill, have five grown children and 13 grandchildren.